Can punch and seal



May 22, 11925, mum

C. A. WHITLEY CAN PUNCH AND SEAL Filed Aug. 50, 1927 gmwwto'z EAWh-LH l PatentedMay i can.

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Application am; August so, 1921. Serial 30,218,412.-

- This invention is a device for puncturing and sealing the punctures in the tops of cans and is designed more particularly for cans containing condensed milk and similar commodities' which are dispensed only a small portion at a time and which must be protected against the influence of insects, dirt or other foreign substances. The invention provides a device which may be readily clamped to a filled can and removed from an empty can and easily operated to produce pouring and venting openings in the can top and when operated to make the punctures will seal the same so as to close them against the entrance ofi nseots or dirt. The

invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawingand will, be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing:

Fi ure 1 is a side'elevation of my device vapplled to a can;

Fig. 2 is a. transverse section through the device showing the punches in the puncture forming and sealing position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, and

Fig. 4-is a detail.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a base plate 1' which is a circular flat disk of metal having ,a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a standard At diametrically opposite points of this base plate, openings 2 are formed therethrough and at'thecenter of the base plate lugs v 3 are provided thereon. Pivotally mounted between the lugs 3 are. a pair of arms 4 provided at their free ends with punches 5 which are adapted to pass through the openings 2 and piercethe can top, the opposed sides of thesejarms being reduced at their pivotal ends and so shaped as to provide shoulders 6 which, by engaging the respective opposed edges of the mating arm, limit the upward movement thereof, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 1. The

pivoted ends of the arms are formed'with flattened portions 8 which bear against a retaining spring 9 and thereby hold the arms I in either the raised or the lowered position, 'wthe said spring 9 being preferably a leaf spring having its ends downturned, as shown at 10, to seat in notches or recesses provided therefor in the upper surface of the base plate 1. The sprm which passes between the lugs 3 is thus he d in place and is at all times free to exert its pressure against the ends of the arms.

Spaced equi-distantly about the peripheral edge ofthe base plate 1 are radially extending lugs 11 havin slots or elongated openings 12 formed t erethrough and inserted through each of saidopenings is the upper fiat-s1ded' end of a dog 13 which is held against dropping from the base plate by a stop pin 13 inserted through an opening at the upper extremity of the dog and projectmg t erefrom so t upper side of the base plate, as will be readily understood. Each dog is provided in its lower portionon-the side presented to the can with teeth 14:\ which are adapted to engage the side of the can body and thereby firmly grip the same when pressure is aplied thereto and in the outer side of each 0g is a recess 15 having notches 16 in its upper and lower ends to receive a clamping band 17 which encircles the can body, shown at 18, and passes through each recess with its edges fitting in and held by the said notches. To one end of this band 17 is attached a loop 19 and to the opposite end ofthe band is secured a ton e 20 which is preferably not flexible and is provided at its upper and lower edges with lateral lugs or ears 21. Pivoted to and between thesaid lugs or ears 21 is a lever 22 to which between the ends thereof is pivotally attached the free end portion of the loop 19, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 1 and 3.

In applying theldevice to a can, the free end of the lever 22 is swung toward the seat it may rest upon the j swung about its pivotal connection with the lugs or ears 21 'so' that the lever will extend over the adjacent end of the band, as shown in Fig. 1 and by dotted lines in Fig. 3,- thereby exerting a pull upon the loop 19 which will draw the band closely around the can body. When the band is thus contra'cted, the dogs 13 are pressed against the can body so as to firmly rip the same and resist any tendency of the?) relativeto the can top At this time the puncturing arms are raised, as shown in Fig. 1, and when it is desiredto remove some of the contents of the can, a li ht tapupon the free ends of the arms wil cause them to swing downwardly and pass through the ase plate to move a ...openings 2 in the base plate and puncture celerate their movement so that it. is not necessary to apply great force in order to either raise or lower the punches. When the arms are swung downwardly and caused to penetrate the can top, they will remain'in the lowered position until force is applied sufficient to overcome the holding strength of the spring and, consequently, the punctures formed in the can top will be entirely filled and closed by'the points of the punches so that the can will be sealed against the entrance of any matter. lVhen some of the contents of the can is to be withdrawn, the arms may be simply lifted upwardly or any convenient pry may be applied so as to effect the upward movement of the same. The upward movement of the arms obviously Withdraws the punches so that the punctures will become operative to permit some of the contents of the can to be poured out and to vent the can in order to obtain a perfect. pouring action.

The device is exceedingly simple and may be produced and applied to any can at a very low cost. \Vhen in place, it will be firmly held but it may be very easily removed from an empty can and applied to a filled can so that its life is indefinite.

Having thus described the im'ention, I claim:

1. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a base plate, means for securing the base plate over the top of a container, puncturing arms pivotally mounted on the top of the base plate and having flattened edge portions at their pivotal ends, and a retaining spring fitted to the base plate below the pivotal ends of the arms and bearing thereon to engage the flattened portions of the same.

2. A device for the purpose set forth com prising a base plate having openings therethrough at diametrically opposite points, a

pair of puncturing arms pivotally mounted on the base plate and having their free ends arranged to pass through the openings in the base plate and puncture a can top, and

a sprin fitted to the can top below the pivotal ends of the arms-and bearing against the pivotal ends of the arms to maintain the arms in either raised or lowered position.

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a base plate, a pairof puncturing arms mounted upon the base plate and arupon the base plate at the periphery thereof, a resilient band ada ted to encircle a can body and engaged with the outer sides.

of the dogs, a loop carried by one end of the band, and a lever carried by the opposite end of the band and pivotally engaged with the loop whereby to contract the band around a can bod and effect engagement of the dogs with t is can body.

5. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a base plate, a pair of puncturing arms mounted on the base plate, a plurality of dogs loosely hung upon the base plate at the periphery thereof and provided on their inner sides with can-engaging teeth and constructed on their outer sides to support a clamping band, a resilient clamping band engaged with and held by the outer sides of the several dogs in encircling relation to a can body, and means for contracting the' band around the can body and the dogs.

6. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a base plate provided with radially projecting lugs at its periphery, said lugs *hai'ing elongatedv openings t-herethrough,

dogs loosely supported in said openings and provided on their inner sides with can-eugaging teeth and constructed in their outer sides with recesses havingnotches in their upper and lower ends, a resilient band adapted to encircle a can body and passing through said recesses with its upper and lower edges in engagement with said notches, and means at the ends of the band for contracting the same whereby to swing the dogs into engagement with a can body. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. CLARENCE A. WHITLEY. [L. s.l' 

